Never Alone
by Yin Long Nocturne
Summary: When Harry is 7 he's diagnosed with MPD and the possibility of Schizophrenia later on. On top of that he's also a child genius. When Petunia tells Vernon the news Harry home life becomes steadily worse and his other personalities become more entrenched. Not a Dark!fic. On PERMANENT HIATUS.
1. The Doctor's Appointment

Ch. 1 – The Doctor's Appointment

Harry was six when they took him to see his first psychiatrist – the first of many. They had finally given in, they couldn't ignore it anymore – their little Harry wasn't always their little Harry. In fact, there were four different Harrys. There was Harry, of course, but there were also Alexei, Dean and Palau. They were all Harry, but not.

At first the Dursleys had thought that they were simply imaginary friends he was acting out, but after a few years, it didn't stop, and it became apparent that there was something more behind it. So they gave in and took him to the local psychiatrist.

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Sunday 5th May 1985 – Surrey Mental Health Clinic

Harry went through an IQ examination and several indicator tests, which all pointed towards him having MPD – Multiple Personality Disorder – and would possibly develop Schizophrenia later on. On the contrary, however, Harry's IQ test came through with surprising results; he ranked in at a 180 (one of the highest achievable scores). Their nephew was a certified genius…with multiple personalities.

…

Petunia went pale as soon as she heard the news. She didn't utter one single word throughout the entire tense car ride home. When they arrived at No. 4 Privet Drive, she just ushered Harry in through the front door and pointed wordlessly at the stairs. Harry took the hint and quickly disappeared. He knew what this was about. It was about those days when he would wake up and have to read his diary to find out what he'd done the day before.

He had first really noticed it happening when he was three and started attending kindergarten. He started realizing that sometimes when he thought it was Tuesday it was actually Thursday, and he could never figure out where the days had gone. When he started elementary school, he'd noticed it more and more, and had started a diary in hopes of finding out where the missing days had evaporated to. Now, looking back on it, it had been a foolish, naïve thing to do, but at the time it seemed perfectly logical. And that was only compounded when new entries for the missing days showed up signed each time with one of four names: Alexei, Palau, Dean, and once, Tom.

At first it had been scary. All he knew about the missing days came from his journal and whatever new knowledge that had been learnt by…well, he didn't know what to call them, because he didn't really know what they were, but he presumed they were people. He thought maybe they were him. He reasoned, they went to his school, they slept in his bed and, well, if they weren't him, then who were they?

[Back with Petunia; who is now joined by Vernon]

"Oh, Vernon, I don't know what to think. They said he has Multiple Personality Disorder. It's like he is two people at once. Those days he used to insist we call him by a different name, it all makes sense now – they were his other personalities manifesting themselves," Petunia said fearfully, glancing every now and then at the stairwell, as if fearing that Harry would suddenly appear. "But that's not all, Vernon, he's a genius. His IQ score was almost off the charts. They said he will have likely finished the average college curriculum by the time he's 14."

"Pet, Petunia, darling; it will all be okay, you'll see," Vernon soothed. "Come on, let's get you up to bed so you can take a nap. It'll be okay. Just rest for a while, you've had a shock." Although his words were kind and compassionate, his thoughts were quite the opposite. He couldn't accept that…that _freak of nature_ as his nephew, no. That _creature_ was in no way related to him and Petunia. After all, his Petunia didn't have a sister and that _thing_ had just shown up without warning. No, it wasn't related to them.

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Harry had always known he was different. At first it was little things, like being able to read and write and talk that little bit too fast. Then it was at school when he understood everything and never forgot anything, even from the missing days. But he didn't have an eidetic memory or anything like that; he just seemed to comprehend things faster than his classmates. And then there were Alexei, Palau and Dean; people who were him, but not quite. Harry was used to being different. Different was his normal. And these days he didn't freak out when he couldn't remember what he'd been occupied with just a few minutes ago. The only thing that really worried him, though, was losing his journal. It was small and black but thick, and held three years' worth of precious memories, a different set for each of them.

Harry found it quite amusing and entertaining, really, reading his journal and seeing the different personalities' entries. They all had different quirks, so you could always tell whose day it was. Alexei wrote in florescent green and loved emoticons; his entries were full of them. Palau was more reserved; his entries were in a soft brown and always in pencil, his writing was subtly curling but it was the kind you never got tired of reading. Dean never favoured one colour and his changed day by day. Harry, on the other hand, seemed to prefer purples and golds, or at least had favoured them for as long as he could remember.

Tom had only written once, and his writing was blood red and it seemed to drip down the page. Surprisingly, Harry found it writing comforting, and that entry was one he went to when he was afraid, when it seemed as if the walls were bearing down on him and the sensation of being watched became too much to bear. When that happened, Harry would open his journal to Tom's only entry and read it over and over again.

Tom's entry was nothing like any of the others. It was adult where theirs were childish and it was morose and sombre while theirs were cheerful and inane. But despite that, it never failed to reassure Harry that everything was okay and that Tom was there to protect him.

A/N: I don't actually know the official highest rating on an IQ test but I do know that getting 180 as a child will rank you as genius.

In regards to Petunia not knowing she had a sister, Lily did what Hermione did to her parents, she Obliviated Petunia's memory of her. So when Harry showed with a letter saying a Lily Potter had died it meant nothing to Petunia, but the baby had been abandoned and she wasn't cruel enough to leave it on a doorstep. So she convinced her husband to adopt the child, kept his name the same but made them the legal guardians.


	2. Tom & Hogwarts Strangeness

**The Schizophrenic Genius**

A/N: Big thanks to all of you who read my story and also to: Amethyst Violet Serenity, help does wonders, shadow haunt, TiaT, Tolkare, Aliinna, Angel-Hime-Chan, , DoctorWho41, history, Luke21, Mimaindi, skyefire, Smurfanator, Terra Elizabeth and ursineus for – putting the story on story alerts or favourites and special thanks to Amethyst Violet Serenity for being the first (and only at the moment) reviewer! :D ~ Yin

After Harry's diagnosis, things got steadily worse and worse, and as things went downhill, Tom started to show up more often. The first time Tom manifested himself was when Vernon threatened to throw Harry into the Cupboard under the Stairs. Suffice to say, he didn't do that again. Tom had come in all his righteous fury and descended upon him like an avenging angel…or at least, that's what it had looked like to Harry. The second time was because Petunia tried to put Harry in Dudley's hand-me-downs; Tom grabbed her wrist and threatened to break it. The third was when Dudley and his gang cornered Harry in an alleyway. This time he didn't threaten or warn them. He just beat them within an inch of their lives. He probably would have killed them all, except that Harry regained control before Tom could. *

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It was Harry's birthday, the 31st of July, when things changed once and for all. On that day, Harry was introduced to the Wizarding World for the first time.

…

…

…

[At breakfast]

"Get the mail, Dudley."

"Make Harry get it," Dudley replied, pointing at Harry.

"I'm Palau, not Harry, Dudley," Harry said with a long-suffering sigh before getting up to get the mail. A letter from Aunt Marge, a bill for Vernon and…a letter addressed to one Mr. Harry Potter of the Smallest Bedroom, No. 4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey. "That's awfully specific for an address," he thought. He walked back into the dining room and placed the rest of the letters in front of Vernon before opening his.

_To Mr. Harry Potter,_

_We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted into the Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed the list of required equipment._

_We hope to see you on the 1st of September at Platform 9 ¾ at Kings Cross Station to board the Hogwarts Express._

_We await your owl by no later than the 25th of August._

_Deputy Headmistress Minerva McGonagall_

_Headmaster Albus Dumbledore_

_(International Confed. of Wizards, Supreme Mugwump of the Wizengamot, Headmaster of Hogwarts etc.)_

Palau paused, then re-read it for good measure before looking up and asking, "What's this about, Petunia, Vernon?"

"What are talking about?" They had been ignoring him for the past 10 minutes.

"This letter. It talks about a 'Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry'. And what do they mean by, they await my owl?"

"I don't know. … And just WHAT do you mean by WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY!" Vernon screamed, turning a wholly un-enticing shade of puce.

"I haven't a clue. Why else would I be asking you?" he replied drolly. He sighed and looked out the window, knowing it was going to take some time before he was going to get a straight, un-stuttered answer out of them, and his gaze met with an OWL, just there, sitting on a branch. But why was there an owl, in broad daylight, clearly awake, in the middle of Surrey? "Maybe, just maybe…hmmm." Palau rummaged in his pockets for a scrap of paper and a pen, before roughly penning an affirmative reply and walking out the front door and over to the owl. "You wouldn't happen to be, by any chance, the owl they at await at Hogwarts for my reply, would you?" To his immense surprise, the owl nodded in response and held out a leg, as though it were expecting him to attach a letter. "Well, here goes nothing," he thought before wrapping the scrap of paper around the owl's leg and saying "Hogwarts". He presumed he'd done the right thing when the owl flew off.

"Can this day get _any _stranger?"

[8 hrs later]

Alexei groaned, blaming Palau thoroughly for this. "Palau, damn you, you shouldn't have tempted fate, this day _has_ gotten evenweirder!"

It was true, Alexei thought moodily, as he glanced around the lounge before his gaze once again settled on their guest – Severus Snape, Potions Master at Hogwarts. He was a formidable looking man, wearing a smart black business suit. He was tall and lanky and was glaring darkly at Alexei, as though everything was his fault. Well, it might have been, but he didn't think he'd done anything, not like that time he'd turned his teacher's hair blue. He'd swear on it, if he thought it'd do any good.

"Mr Potter, it's time to go." Snape's harsh snarl broke him out of his reverie.

"Hm, comin'." he replied lazily, stretching like a cat as he got of the sofa. He grabbed his jacket, a favourite one made out of black leather, and slammed the door behind him. "Sooo…now what, Mister?"

Snape turned to look at him, eyeing him in an assessing manner, and asked, "What do you know of magic?"

"What sort of magic?" Alexei had meant it as a joke, but Snape seemed to take it rather seriously, and appeared to assume that Alexei knew enough about it.

"Good. I'm going to Apparate you to the Leaky Cauldron in London.," he said before reaching over and taking a firm hold of his shoulder. He had to say, Apparating was a truly singular experience, like being stretched like a rubber band and squeezed through a tiny tube at the same time. Entirely unpleasant, and he voiced his thoughts, loudly.

"Stop complaining, I thought you said you knew about magic." Snape sounded annoyed.

"Ha, um, yeah, well, I don't really have a clue…and I'm fairly sure the others don't either."

"What others?" Snape said sharply. He wasn't a former spy for nothing; he prided himself on his observation skills. They had saved his life in the past.

"You don't know?" Alexei said in incredulity. "Oh no, I wish Harry or Palau were here or heck even Tom would be better at explaining," he griped under his breath before straightening out and beginning to explain. "Okay, here's the deal, when we were seven we were diagnosed with MPD, Multiple Personality Disorder. Actually we already knew about it, all of us were kinda scared and a bit worried, I mean, how could you not be, our guardians always called us Harry, and we were never there for more than a couple of days before we got amnesia. Or something similar. Then Harry started a diary, he wrote in it everything he'd done that day. And they, Palau came, and wrote in his day and so on. Eventually, we became happy; we even hold conversations through the diary now." He paused and looked at Snape who was looking at him with a mixture of confusion and irritation. "Oh, sorry, I was rambling wasn't I? Anyway, the base of it all is that there's five of us: me, Harry, Palau, Dean and Tom. We all inhabit this body and we take turns. Actually the rotations used to be very erratic, but now we have, generally, two days at a time and we switch at night. But, just in case, we write in the diary every hour."

At this point in time, one Severus Snape was frantically trying to process the new information that was now swamping his brain. Multiple Personality Disorder! What was that? It sounded almost like a multiple possession. But, they sounded happy with their situation and spirits, demons, angels who possess humans always have an agenda. What was going on?

"Would you consent to me doing a deep Legilimency probe?" he asked suddenly.

"A what probe? And will it hurt?"

"Legilimency is a form of mind art, wherein you enter someone else's mind. Its counter is Occlumency, which is meant to shield the mind."

"Err, okay. What do you want me to do?" Alexei questioned with a semi-indifferent shrug.

"Sit, then look me in the eyes and don't break eye contact. It shouldn't hurt," he said, pointing to the closest chair. Alexei settled in it comfortably and stared into Snape's eyes.

[Snape's Perspective]

"_Legilimens," _he hissed, focusing on slipping smoothly into the boy's mind. What he found there would haunt him for the rest of his days. There was no order, just chaos; five different perspectives, thoughts and ideas, all conflicting and running in circles. It could be likened to a great stampede. He pulled out quickly, already beginning to feel the effects of the migraine that was no doubt forming in his temples.

"You have, undoubtedly, the most unorganised and chaotic mind I have ever seen."

* * *

>AN:

* At this point the switches between personalities are random, they have no control over when and who changes.

From this point onwards, Harry will identify himself as one of the four/five. I'll try to make it clear as to which one he is at what times.

I'm leaving it like this mostly because my muse is being astronomically unclear about how to properly describe the next scene (more with Snape and Legilimency). Bah!

~ Yin

This is a beta'd version, go my wonderful beta! She's awesome!


	3. Snarky Bats & Excited Puppies Don't Mix

Hey All! Sorry for not getting a new ch. up for ages ... (dodges rotten tomatoes)

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><p><em>Previously:<em>

_[Snape's Perspective]_

_"Legilimens," he hissed, focusing on slipping smoothly into the boy's mind. What he found there would haunt him for the rest of his days. There was no order, just chaos; five different perspectives, thoughts and ideas, all conflicting and running in circles. It could be likened to a great stampede. He pulled out quickly, already beginning to feel the effects of the migraine that was no doubt forming in his temples._

_"You have, undoubtedly, the most unorganised and chaotic mind I have ever seen."_

He sighed, this was going to be a _long_ day.

"Tom, have you got a private room we can use?"

"Sure, Mister Snape, down the corridor, third door on the left."

"Follow me," he ordered sharply at the boy sitting before him, and walked off without a backward glance. Alexei just shrugged and followed behind him.

"Sit," Snape barked once they were alone, gesturing sharply towards one of the chairs. He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed again, rolling his eyes at the ceiling. "What do you know of Occlumency?" he asked.

"Umm, not much," Alexei said. "Actually, nothing at all."

"Very well. Then I shall endeavour to teach you the basics today. We shall have to postpone our shopping trip to a later date. Is that acceptable?" The last was said in a way which made it clear it would be acceptable _or else._

"Sure…" Alexei replied, starting to get a bit creeped out.

"Good, now do you know how to meditate?"

[AN: Okay, I'm not going to write about the lesson, partly because I don't know how to write it and well, that's pretty much it. I might, _might_ at some point write a oneshot on what happens in the lesson. No promises. Cheers, on with the story! ]

Snape entered Alexei's mind once again, and like the many times before, he was directed to a dank chamber with melting walls; the form Alexei's mind had taken. Satisfied that he had done all he could, he pulled smoothly back out. It was always easier to hold conversations in the real world.

"I am going to enquire about getting us rooms for the night. We shall resume our shopping trip tomorrow," Snape said, slipping back into his outer robes and buttoning up the long row of fastenings running up the front. "Wait here," he said curtly before disappearing into the corridor.

Some minutes later, the barman, Tom poked his head around the door. "Come along, Mr Snape's requested rooms for you both on the second floor."

Alexei followed silently, rather overwhelmed. He was barely listening to Tom's chatter about various things on the way to the rooms. When he broke out of his reverie, he was standing outside a wooden door emblazoned with the number 19. "Ah, thank you," he murmured lowly, before stepping over the threshold and into his current room. Quickly settling in a meditative pose, he sunk deep into his mind.

_[__Mindscape]_

When he arrived in the 'receiving room', as he'd dubbed it, he hurried to a nondescript warped stone on the far wall, pressing it in as far as it would go. The room faded into a much more pleasant one, not nearly as dank as before. Conjuring up a long couch, he settled against one arm and clicked his fingers twice.

"You know, we're not servants you can just summon with a click of your fingers." The acerbic comment was typical of Tom.

"Tom!" The relief on Alexei's face was palpable. "Are the others here yet?"

"We're right here, Lex," Palau said, smiling softly as he ruffled Alexei's hair. Dean didn't say anything, opting instead to curl up into Alexei's side and yawn. Harry walked out of a shadowy doorway, hair wet and dripping down his chest.

He took one look at Alexei and said, "Alright, what's wrong?". When he didn't receive an instant answer, he looked at his personality expectantly.

"You know how we're different personalities, but all Harry? Well, the Wizarding world doesn't understand the concept of having multiple personalities in one person. They think it's just possession," Alexei said quietly, clutching Dean to his side. "I saw it in the Professor's mind when he was teaching me."

"Don't worry Lex, we won't let anything happen, to any of us," Palau said squeezing his shoulder tightly as a manner of reassurance.

"Yeah, we'll be alright!" Harry said, coming over to join the group huddle.

"Come on Tom! I wanna cuddle!" A sleepy Dean yelled, looking up from his makeshift pillow.

"Alright, alright," Tom muttered, in mock anger, although he was all too happy to be a part of the resonating warmth and love.

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_[The Next Day]_

_Knock, knock, knock!_

"Are you up yet, Mr Potter?" Snape's voice came through the door, lightly impatient with a touch of irritation

"Yes, Professor."

… _bang, clang… thump… bump._

A breathless Dean came hurtling through the door, panting, before skidding to a stop mere inches in front of Professor Snape. "Sorry about that, Professor, Harry always tells me I shouldn't be such a klutz. I'm Dean, pleased to meet you!" he rushed out without pause.

"A pleasure." he replied dryly. _The next one, wonderful! How am I going to survive five different Harry Potters?_"Come on, we have tarried far too long already." Spinning sharply on his heel, Snape made his way towards the entrance to Diagon Alley without so much as a backwards glance.

Dean hurried along behind, giving him a lost puppy look when they stopped in front of the nondescript brick wall. "Mr Snape, I thought we were going to Diagon Alley? Why are we in front of a wall?"

"Because, Mr Potter, this is entrance to Diagon Alley. Watch!" he said, tapping the brick lightly with his wand. The wall started to move, bricks sliding out of the way until they dematerialized, revealing a cobbled pathway.

"Wow!" Dean gasped, eyes wide. "How did you do that!?"

"The wall is merely an illusion, and the bricks are the passcode." Snape replied, glancing sharply at his charge. "Come on, I have better things to do than watch you all day. We will start at Madam Malkins."

"Coming!"

To say the rest of the day was hectic was an understatement of epic proportions. Dean acted like a young puppy, bouncing all over the place, overflowing with enthusiasm. Severus Snape went home with a monstrous headache and firm desire to _not _have Harry Potter (in any of his forms) anywhere near his house!

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><p>Next ch: Going to Hogwarts and the Sorting!<p>

But no guarantees about when I'm getting this up ...

~ Yin

This is a beta'd version, thanks to my awesome beta.


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